In 2013, small groups of 'hacktivists', emboldened by their recent successes in taking down government and corporate websites, started taking their attacks to the next level in order to lash out at what they viewed as corrupt practices by the US government. Instead of attacking websites, which could be brought back online with minimal worry, the hackers took advantage of the increasingly networked nature of America's infrastructure to wreak real havoc. In the space of several weeks, power plants were disrupted and water treatment centers were knocked offline. Even traffic lights were sporadically shut down, leading to a record number of traffic accidents. None of these disruptions were permanent, because the hackers' objective was not to significantly decrease quality of life. Rather, their goal was to draw attention to their cause in a way that taking down an obscure website or message board never could.
What the hackers couldn't predict was the door they would open to those who sought to do legitimate harm to America. While the government had their full attention on safeguarding the domestic infrastructure and finding the basement-dwellers responsible for the attacks, an unknown number of terrorists set off far deadlier attacks of their own. Monday, May 6, 2013 started like any other Monday. Then, an explosion in Times Square; a canister giving off some sort of gas. A low flying plane dropping powder over downtown Dallas. People dropping dead after having a glass of water in Seattle. It's likely a combination of different biological agents was responsible, as a range of symptoms too broad for any one substance was reported.
Lines of communication sputtered and died, and it's widely suspected that the federal government was responsible for the suppression of information and dissemination of misinformation during the height of the crisis. Rumors swirled about who perpetuated the apocalypse, a list that included the usual suspects--the Red Chinese, militant fundamentalist groups, and even a paranoid fringe of American separatists--but no one knows for sure how things fell apart so completely and so fast.
1.2 Post-apocalypse history (60 yrs)
As infrastructure collapsed, the supply lines delivering vital supplies (food, medicine, power) went down permanently. The over reliance on "just-in-time" shipping meant that very few places had stockpiled much of anything. The sudden resource scarcity provoked violence on a level not seen in centuries. By the end of the first week, grocery stores, warehouses, and shopping centers were more likely to be filled with bodies than goods. The government did everything in its power to curb the violence. Martial law was followed by the deployment of the National Guard in every major American city. In the midst of all the fighting, neighborhoods banded together for collective security and piled useless cars into barricades and checkpoints. This process continued to the point where these collective security agreements more closely resembled feudal manors than metropolitan neighborhoods.
A few enclaves persisted as bastions of civilization. Springing up wherever sources of wind or solar energy were readily available and defensible, these areas - usually former universities and research centers - began to resemble the monastaries of the Dark Ages. Now, roughly sixty years after the fall of civilization, there has been a flowering of invention using the refuse of the world gone by. Rather than using petroleum and electricity, inventors use steam, springs, and gears to create new devices to make their lives easier. In urban areas, generators are still capable of producing electrical energy to power the digital machines of old.
2. Geography
The known world encompasses most of southern and eastern Wisconsin, a triangular section from Green Bay south to the state's old border and west to Madison that encompasses both Milwaukee and the cities of the Fox River Valley. Large areas of Lake Michigan are the domain of Sullivan’s Fleet and they facilitate limited trade across the lake with Michigan.
2.1 Population
It's estimated that a few hundred thousand people live in the region. About 40% of these people live in and around the old Milwaukee, 20% in the former Fox Valley region, 15% in Madison, and 10% in Green Bay. The remaining 15% reside in Sullivan’s fleet, small rural communities, and nomadic scavenger/trader groups.
Most populous city, approximately 40% of total population. Following the fall, Walter Crawley retreated to Milwaukee to establish his regime. (Section 3) The Brothers of the Good Shepherd (3.3.2) have a strong influence within the city that is unhappily tolerated by
Crawley’s government.
Approx. 15% total population. Many people have been able to return to downtown areas of Madison because of better water quality and distilling techniques. A large area around the city is still populated for farming and considered part of the city. Scientists at the University struggle to maintain electric power for research that will improve the quality of life for residents.
Temperate forests are giving way to scrub lands in the hilly landscape. Vast tracts of once prosperous farming land is now abandoned and steadily being reclaimed by nature. Following the attacks many species of trees began to sicken and die. Old growth forests have nearly all died and dried out by now, becoming a huge fire risk where the wood has not been collected by nearby populations. New growth trees are small, sickly and rare to see, while coarse, scrubby bushes are becoming the main vegetation.
2.2.2 Urban
During the attacks, most city dwellers fled to the suburbs, small towns and rural areas of the state. As the world calmed and new systems of order are beginning to re-emerge people are moving back into the periphery of large cities, but still generally stay out of downtown areas. Most structures remain standing, but are in various stages of deterioration.
Downtown areas of Milwaukee are sparsely populated because of a lack of drinking water. Neighborhoods divisions are stark and competition for resources fierce. Crawley’s Council and central government are based here, giving a generally bleak and militaristic tone to the city. UWM facilities - like Curtin Hall and Sandburg Castle - are bastions of science and technology and the groups controlling them are constantly in conflict. The UWM School of Freshwater Science once promised an answer to the contamination in Lake Michigan, but has since fallen into oppressive government hands.
Madison was one of the first areas to recover following the apocalypse and Crawley’s move to Milwaukee. The University has held on to much of the scientific knowledge from before the fall, and continues to have access to the internet when they have sufficient power. The lakes surrounding Madison have low levels of contamination, but basic evaporators and other technologies provide safe drinking water even in downtown areas. A wide area surrounding the city is used for farming and limited wind power.
Centered on Lake Winnebago and including the river valleys around. The Fertile area has attracted the Dreamers (3.3.5) in their quest to realize steam power. As more people migrate in, a new city is being built that ties into the new technologies and worldview those pioneers are creating.
The attacks and mass panics of 2013 reduced most of the city of Racine to rubble. Today the ruins are home to a few desperate scavengers and small, stone-age equivalent tribes locked into a constant state of war with each other. Some try to escape this life by becoming mercenaries or muscle for anyone willing to let them migrate. Most tribes will allow safe passage in exchange for goods they can't produce themselves; anyone forced to travel through this area would be well advised to carry a supply of gaudy trinkets. All tribes are eager to acquire modern weapons, but they have little to trade for them except slaves, either from among their own members or captured from rival tribes. Unscrupulous merchants will sometimes exchange a few steel blades or crude firearms for a source of cheap labor.
Union Grove, a semi-rural village on the outskirts of the county, fared better due to its relative isolation. However, isolation has its drawbacks. Today the village is inhabited by crazed, inbred cannibal groups, rumored to include the Red Church (5.3.5)
2.2.2.5 Other
Chicago is a barren wasteland. It was targeted heavily and early in the attacks, leaving few survivors. The ruins have been scoured for years, and little remains. The few foolish enough to venture here frequently uncover and accidentally detonate canisters of nerve gas that pollute large areas of the city for years at a time. Occasional rumors drift north of weird, semi-human creatures and horrific animals never before seen shambling out of the Chicago area, but none of them has ever been definitively confirmed.
2.2.3 Rural
Small towns have all but died out but a few solitary homesteads and collectives dot the landscape. Roads are becoming overgrown and increasingly impassable. This is the domain of a few nomadic groups and the Defenders of the Apocalypse (3.3.3)
Small buildings and houses lie all around the less inhabited parts of Wisconsin, many becoming over grown and uninhabitable.
2.2.4 Water
Lake Michigan was targeted and contaminated in the attacks and remains unsuitable to use for drinking and irrigation without an intensive and expensive purification process. Smaller, inland sources of water, particularly running water remain the safest and most desirable options. As rivers near city centers, the level of contamination increases because of failing sewer systems and runoff from industrial areas.
The lake itself is controlled by The Sullivan’s Fleet and few crafts can operate on open water without their approval or retribution. Small scale fishing is still practiced along the coast, but there is much debate as to whether or not the fish are safe to eat and many species are dying off. For reasons nobody has been able to explain, sturgeon has thrived in the new conditions and they growing to record sizes. Reports of sturgeon over 20 feet long are not uncommon, and even larger examples are becoming the new age sea monsters.
2.3 Climate
The climate of the new world is moderately temperate in the Wisconsin area. Global warming has stagnated because the use of fossil fuels has drastically decreased since the cord has been cut. Many areas of the land could be used up though, given preservation of the environment is lowered. Four seasons still occur, but summer and winter can both be their own level of extreme. Summer faces record highs much of the time, but winter is often unpredictable. With central heating a thing of the past, most Wisconsinites dread the onset of winter.
The growing season can be hard with clean water always being a priority.
2.3.1 Spring
Spring marks the beginning of the growing season for communities organized enough to have an agricultural system. However the beginning can be very difficult to determine given the unpredictability of winter. Sometimes many risk planting early, and this can cause food shortage and famine if all of their seeds are wasted in this gamble. Conversely, those who play it safe and plant later risk their crops not maturing soon enough before fall frosts, also causing shortages and famine. Those communities who are very intuitive with nature tend to have the greatest success and survival.
2.3.2 Summer
Summer is a hard time. Drought is common, and water can be scarce because of it. This can be hard on agricultural endeavors, but also on the people. What little wild animal herds there are, are known to move on if droughts in the area become too bad. Towards the end of the season, if any droughts occurred, this is when they start to subside. Rainfall becomes common, but flash flooding is a real danger.
3. Governance
The city of Milwaukee is mostly controlled by Walter Crawley, elected governor of the state just before the cord severed, has turned democracy into a fascist dictatorship. As the world fell apart he used his executive powers to retreat to Milwaukee where he set up his stronghold. He controls all shipments, most supplies, and most of the protection. He is known to send out groups of his henchmen, known as Waltzers, to insure that his laws are being followed. Communities in the city who think about going it on their own without his “leadership” are harassed until they reconsider. Due to their high standing in the society, Waltzers obey without question and have been known to dispatch anyone who they deem might be a problem.
Many have spread the word that Crawley, who be nearing his 100th birthday, has been dead for years with those in power, known as the Council, using his name and image to continue their tyrannical rule. Crawley's two sons, both in their 70s, essentially run the regime, the acting leaders who carry out their father's supposed wishes. Those living around the headquarters of the Council are ardent Crawley supporters but his support throughout the city is spotty at best. Street violence is rampant, especially after sundown.
Crawley hoards supplies, resources, and energy in order to remain in power.
3.1 Political system
The defunct state of Wisconsin has descended into a handful of city-states that are ruled by mayors, or sheriffs, some of which are run democratically and others by tyrants. The rule of law varies from location to location, but it is generally accepted that the country between city-states is lawless.
3.2 Law and order
While no central law enforcement agency exists, different factions control either a resource or a skill set, some policing their own areas, and some relying on more powerful groups to take care of their constituents. Safety, well-being, and health are dependent on care by local leaders.
One part church, two parts dojo, the Righteous Fist of the Lord (their own name for themselves) combines a militant Protestant doctrine with a strong mistrust of technology as the source of humanity's ruin. Members train intensively in martial arts to avoid any reliance on technology. Once sufficiently trained, they are encouraged to go forth, do good, and protect the weak. The Fist is loosely organized and decentralized. Outside training facilities and regular religious observances, the church exerts little or no control over its members. Fists take an oath to do right, aid one another, and fight only in a just cause, but interpretation of the oath in the field is largely left to individual discretion, though blatant misdeeds will result in expulsion. Celibacy is not a requirement for Fists, and members have something of a reputation as would-be pickup artists. Fists: Freelance martial artist do-gooders. Most are nomadic, but some will commit to a cause in the longer term. Trainers: Trained members unable or unwilling to travel, usually due to age or family commitments, serve as the order's training staff. They also defend the order's churches as necessary. Ministers: The order's religious leaders and spiritual guides. A few have martial arts training, but the majority are only trained in religious matters, and are far more comfortable preaching than in combat.
In times of crisis, people often turn toward faith. As the modern world began to collapse, it was only natural for people to seek solace in church. Milwaukee, having had in the past a fairly large Catholic population, has a few old monastic buildings here and there, well suited to feeding and housing large groups of people. At one of these old monasteries, a priest and Franciscan brother began to organize his parish, finding and growing food as well as producing the other necessities of life. At the same time, many in the wake of the apocalypse were called to the lord's service. That Franciscan priest became the first Lord Abbot of the Brothers, and those with the call became the first brothers. Now, believing themselves charged with a divine mission to protect the weak, the brothers have gathered about themselves a community of people. The monks care for and protect their flock from the dangers of the new fallen world, and in return are tithed a portion, either in goods, food or work. The monks have organized themselves into three categories: Brothers Militant: The elite soldiers of the Monastery, they spend their time in training, guarding, and fighting. They believe their purpose is holy, the protection of the faithful, and are fanatical in their duty. Brothers Ordinary: Simple monks, often skilled in healing and agriculture Lay Brothers: Catholic men of the community who have not yet taken their vows or do not plan to. They act as an addition to the strength of the other brothers, either as simple labor, or as a militia in times of need.
Not everyone thought that the end of the world was so bad. The ability of survivors to start anew with a clean slate proved to be an exciting prospect for those who, prior to the destruction of American civilization, had little to lose. The Defenders of the Apocalypse (DotA) seek to prevent all efforts to rebuild the old world which they view as existentially oppressive. While they tend to gather in the countryside (outside West Bend they have housing, a mill and their own farms), DotA members are occasionally spotted scavenging the ruins of the metropolis. Not a lot is known about the structure of DotA, but initial reports seem to indicate that they are very decentralized and live in a communal manner.
Some members of DotA are not simply content to live a communal lifestyle and raids on caravans or others in the hinterlands occur sporadically.
In the time before the collapse, the Denis Sullivan was Wisconsin's Flagship. It is a huge wooden sailing vessel, based on the design of ships from when sail ruled the waves. It was a fun tourist attraction, and took school groups and families sailing on the Lakes, educating and amusing. As society began to fall apart, the crew realized they were safer on the water, with miles of empty space around them. They gathered supplies, friends, and family aboard, and went and sat out on the water, hoping the world would settle down and return to normal. When that didn't happen, they began to seek a way to live in the new, fallen world. The boat was a safe haven, and they did not want to abandon it. They began to sail in towards shore, sending scavenging parties to collect supplies and bring them back. As they met other groups of survivors, they began to either trade, or raid, for the things they needed as well. Smaller boats, the pleasure craft and other sailing vessels of the lake, were either found and repaired, or taken by force, so that now there is a small fleet out on the lake, ruled by the captain of the Sullivan. The fleet has a hidden base on land somewhere, no one is quite sure where, as they move about almost exclusively by water, sending people ashore where ever the water touches land. When they come to trade, they announce themselves with gifts and good cheer. When they come to raid, they appear suddenly out of the waves, and return just as quickly. Merchants: The cheerful, amiable face of the fleet. They frequently set up small fairs where they land on shore, and treat customers as guests, often giving gifts of good will to those looking to trade. The merchants of the fleet also serve as its diplomats. These people have made a lifestyle out of trading, however, and there are no sharper dealers around. Marines: When the fleet decides it is going to take what it wants rather than buy it, it sends its marines. Equally at home on sea or land, these are the fist of the fleet. They specialize in surprise and ambush, and will often retreat from a fair fight back to the water. Sailors: The majority of the people of the fleet are simple sailors. Regular people, living each on a boat or ship whose captain's word is law. These boats, particularly the smaller ones are often organized along family lines,
Following the apocalypse was a shift in philosophy among a certain few individuals, who would become collectively known as the Dreamer called so for their shared dream for the future generations of mankind. The Dreamers come from a wide array of races and backgrounds and have congregated in the Fox Valley region. Through the help of a couple generations of breeding and aggressive proselytization, the ranks of the Dreamers have swelled over time.
Their dream is a future with minimal electricity, where small personal items are powered by "clean steam." They are anti-industrialization though it is not technology that they are against, but the waste and disaster which the greed of technology breeds. Their goal is to share affordable non-electric technology with those who share a like mind. Dreamers are considered a dangerous cult by the followers of Crawley, who fear adoption of non-electrical technologies will weaken their hold on the regional economy. Though the Council denies any involvement, several prominent Dreams who have promoted a "steam revolution" have had bounties put on their heads.
Some factions unconnected with Crawley also view the Dreamers with some degree of mistrust. To some outsiders, their dreams seems preposterous; their separatism and zeal in the hoarding and disassembling of old technology wins them few friends, as many urban dwellers in Madison and Milwaukee struggle to find working electrical equipment. Even for those uninterested in politics, Dreamers often come across as pushy and annoying as they try to recruit new members to their cause.
The Fighting Phils are the leading insurgents in the fight against Crawley. They are a focused, passionate, and ruthless group of underground brawlers and hustlers. Inspired by the Wisconsin envisioned by former Governor Robert La Follette, the Fighting Phils consider themselves children of the original Robert and have adopted the name of his real son, Phil La Follette. They serve as the open detractors of the Crawley regime and live very harrowing lives from the inherent danger of such a thing. They have had several high-profile battles with Waltzers in broad daylight, and on more than one occasion they have orchestrated terror attacks against Crawley and the Council, content to kill innocent bystanders to get their point across. They are mostly centralized in what remains of the city, mostly in the 3rd Ward region.
Many of the TFP have let the goal get away from themselves and are now not much better than the Waltzers. There are, still, some morally decent and respectable members. Though identifying members can be tricky due to the underground status, members of the TFP take contracts for assassinations, beatings, thefts or full-fledged destruction provided it in some way serves to topple the Crawley regime--even if only tangentially.
Neither as rigidly disciplined nor as threatening as the name would suggest, the Iron Legion is a loose coalition of craftsmen, tinkers, and inventors. Their only consistent goal is the spread of "new" technology, not built on the old world's petroleum-based economy, that will better the lot of ordinary people (this includes a lot of old techniques and devices adapted to current needs). In effect, they are spreading steampunk in small, slow gradients. The Legion's main function is to share knowledge and inventions with like-minded people able to implement them. Such cooperation is strictly voluntary and its common for members to keep especially profitable designs to themselves, although members who do this too often will find that other Legionnaires are no longer willing to help them. While not in opposition to the Dreamers (3.3.5), the Legion has little interest in visionary spiritual ideas; they are devoted to improving the world by sharing knowledge, getting inventions out to the general public, and putting their heads together for larger-scale projects. Most remain in Milwaukee or its outlying regions rather than migrating to the Fox River Valley. Legion members are far more likely to have dots in Mentor or Contacts than in Allies.
While some groups facilitate survival and others want to rebuild the world, the Lorekeeper Collective seeks to preserve. This group of scribes, artists, archivists, and knowledge brokers strive to gather history and culture from the past to not only learn from past mistakes, but to also foster a spark of creativity and truth-seeking in people, which they believe was lost after the catastrophe. The network of the Collective spans all the way from the former campus of the Madison college to the tall tower called Curtin in Milwaukee, as well as having wandering bards and informants in Green Bay and the Fox River Valley. Although they aim to remain cordial with other factions, they have been called needlessly sentimental and unnecessary by more spartan or "practical" groups. Should one encounter a member of the Collective, things like paper and old relics and baubles deemed otherwise useless will be of great use to them, so expect to be rewarded at least twofold for your contribution, even a hastily written poem or song will yield some sort of token of appreciation. Rumor has it that they have an incredible wifi network still operational, but oftentimes lack any means to power it. In exchange for technical assistance, the Lorekeepers are protected by the soldiers of the Sandburg Castle and their fearsome leader, Janice.
Waltzers are those formally contracted to work on the behalf of Walter Crawley and his Council. Waltzers can provide many functions, from administrative or custodial tasks to security or aggressive "policing" of Milwaukee.
A faction based in historic Lambeau Field in Green Bay, the the Lombardians are powerful enough on their home turf to effectively defy the authority of the Waltzers. Their interests seem limited to practicing their idiosyncratic religion and defending Lambeau Field against any incursion by outsiders.
More of a cult than anything else. Back before the End the Optimists were a group devised to "bring out the best in children". After the End they took on a different view point and began to brainwash children to fight for goal of purifying the new world. They live by their motto "By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in kids." Since being re-instated, the Optimists have taken over the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay as it was once a place that was supported by the Optimists. They've created a strong fortress using the trains and left over equipment from the World War II re-enactments that were once held in the area.
4. Economy
Wealth is based solely on a faction's access to resources, specifically technology and drinkable water. Some groups produce their own valuable resources, some have become particularly good at stealing from others, and some trade their skills in protection, or workforce, for access to commodities. There is a massive divide between factions when it comes to economics. Some groups exhibit a gross, though shifting, level of comfort, such as the Waltzers, and some exist solely as laborers, forced to give up what they produce for protection, real and implied, or access to basic life necessities.
4.1 Currency
Currency is based on markers or tokens that can be turned in for water. The price is about a pint of water for a single token. This currency is mostly used in the cities, while barter is relied upon in more rural areas. A token is a piece of aluminum or tin stamped with a seal.
4.1.1 Class System
There are large differences between classes in Hellwaukee. Class is based on the amount of water you can afford at any given time.
Lower Class citizens may have around 5 water tokens to their name.
Middle Class citizens may have 20 water tokens.
Upper Class citizens may have access to 100 or more water tokens.
4.2 Trade
Water is the most valuable commodity in the Greater Milwaukee area, with energy production becoming its more valuable ability. Steam energy is not easily harnessed, and it takes a bevy of materials from different areas to create necessary equipment.
Trade caravans have carved out routes between the population centers, mainly to carry water between the settlements and various factions.
4.2.1 Water
The Great Lake has been contaminated, and is largely used for steam. Fresh water is carted in from the outskirts of the Greater Milwaukee Area by various factions living around sources, and scavengers. It is by far the most valuable thing in the Post Apocalypse.
Water is moderately dangerous to drink. By ingesting, one risks serious illness, but it is safe to wash with.
4.2.2 Energy production
4.2.2.1 Steam Power
Steam power is now harnessable, but the parts necessary are not readily available. Some are scavenged, some created from traded materials, and some stolen, but all are valuable.
4.2.2.2 Wind Power
In the countryside wind power is king because windmills are easy to build, maintain and operate with a variety of materials. Windmills are used not only as a means to generate electricity, but also to pump ground water and gind flower for use in bakeries.
4.2.2.3 Solar Power
Mostly limited to locations under the control of the Lorekeepers, solar power has been preserved in order to provide free energy from the sun. While a few full-sized solar panels remain, most are a collection of smaller solar panels from calculators and other small gadgets.
4.2.3 Protection
Some groups have continued relying on the Waltzers for protection, in exchange for exploitative quantities of their labor force, materials, or other resources. Others have returned after stints of independence. The Waltzers is not the only group with martial prowess.
Each group has found a way to protect itself, either by allying themselves with factions of equal or more power, or producing fighting power of their own. However, most alliances can be turned over easily. Every group, perhaps with the exception of the Sullivan's Fleet, must trade for supplies, but most can not both protect their productions and create enough to trade.
4.3 Economic distribution/economic classes
Those belonging to the Waltzers seem to have survived with the most power to spare. However, their martial instigation has made enemies of many of the factions in charge of important resources, especially water. A few factions have created bubbles of decadence and wealth for themselves, while others toil to scratch a living out of the resources left behind by the constant civil strife.
Some faction's classes are based on the values of their group. However, the resource-producing areas strive for what people have always wanted: ease of life, and power.
4.4 Professions
Some professions are based around keeping law and order in the faction's smaller communities. Most jobs respond to the resource needs or political structure of the appropriate faction.
4.4.1 Pirate
As people abandoned the metropolis some decided that, instead of fleeing to the suburbs or the countryside, they would take advantage of the abundance of abandoned boats left in the marina. These people realized that Lake Michigan could be used not only as a source of fresh water, but also had an untapped abundance of edible fish. Of course, one can't reasonably be expected to live off of water and fish alone. Raiding the settlements along the Lake proved to be quite lucrative. Pirates can sail to a settlement, loot it, and be over the horizon in a matter of hours.
4.4.2 Craftsman/Smith
The breakdown of industrial society has caused a resurgence of cottage industry. Individuals with the skill to create or repair useful things are highly prized in most areas, and can enjoy something approximating a middle-class lifestyle. Many will train apprentices to insure their skills are passed on to the next generation. Among the more valuable trades: metalworkers of all types, gunsmiths/weaponsmiths, electronic/computer repair (in areas with consistent electrical power), pharmacists/herbalists, tailors/leatherworkers/shoemakers. Many crafts once considered hobbies are now very useful: needlework, weaving, knitting, candle-making, home brewing, and pottery will have practical applications.Carpentry and woodworking are skills in high demand. Tinkers (old style - persons who work in tin, primarily repairing worn-out pots and pans) can make a steady living. Plumbing expertise is important for making efficient steam-powered contraptions. Pickling, canning, and meat preservation are vital in a world without refrigeration.Skilled cooks can make a limited and repetitive diet far more palatable.
4.4.3 Police/Soldier/Guard
The enforcers of law and the authority of government in a region. Depending on the nature of local government, they can be anything from near-knights sworn to "serve and protect", to simple keepers of order, to cruel and rapacious agents of oppression. Regardless, they will be fairly well-armed and knowledgeable about local law (or corporate policy, as the case may be).
4.4.4 Neobarbarian
In some areas, the collapse of civilization reduced the few survivors to a state of howling savagery. Through lack of resources, communication, and/or viable government, some people have remained in this state to the present day. Most will be crudely armed but very aggressive, and recognize no law beyond the needs of their own clan or tribe. A neobarbarian brought into civilized regions (by choice or circumstance) will face social stigma and culture shock.
4.4.5 Farmer
A grower of crops and/or tender of livestock. Some forms of agriculture. especially in former urban centers, will require a great deal of innovation and some degree of technical skill. A farmer's standard of living will depend on the degree of law and order that prevails. In lawless regions, farmers must be prepared to defend their own land, while in regions under oppressive regimes field laborers will fare little better than medieval serfs. In ideal circumstances, a farmer can aspire to considerable prosperity, particularly if he/she has a gift for haggling.
4.4.6 Hunter/Trapper
Food remains relatively scarce, and everyone appreciates a little variety in their diet. In addition, with the textile industry a thing of the past, animal hides and furs have become trade goods again. Hunting and trapping animals is a viable career; the exact animals targeted will depend on scarcity; people are unlikely to buy rat or dog meat if venison is available. While their skill set differs, fishermen/women fill a similar career niche.
4.4.7 Clergy
Preachers, spiritual advisers, and missionaries, the official faces of their religion. Some clergy will be paid a periodic stipend, while others might rely on donations from their congregation. In cases where a religious organization is closely allied with the government (or IS the government), clergy will be on the government payroll.
4.4.8 Entertainer
The internet is unavailable to most. Network television is a thing of the past. Musicians, comedians, singers, dancers, and circus-style performers will find that people are willing to pay for entertainment. Professional wrestling and other athletic contests can also draw a crowd willing to pay to be spectators. Where possible, entertainers will find it profitable to be migratory; this will bring them to new audiences and preserve the apparent novelty of their acts.
4.4.9 Tinker
A small group of men and women who love technology from before the Fall. They pride themselves in their working knowledge of these objects and are always on a constant journey to repair machines and objects that have long but lost a use. A separate but important group of tinkers strives to create new technology (or revive old technology long outdated) to conform to the needs of this harsh new world.
4.4.10 Scavenger
Civilization is on the rebound, but, as is always the case, some people have been left behind due to location, social status, or simple bad luck. These individuals survive like human jackals picking at the bones of the old world. They will excel at urban survival and may have combat skills, but will be poorly adapted to civilized life among other humans. Some will adapt over time, often becoming criminals or salvage experts. Others, unable to make the adjustment, will remain feral for life.
4.5 Transportation
Sailing is the fastest and best way to travel along the coast. All but the largest highways are nearly impassible with overgrowing vegetation. Fossil fuels, especially gasoline, are extremely scarce and cars have given way to horses. The train system is still functional between Madison, Milwaukee, and Green Bay, but trains are easily derailed and therefore do not follow regular schedules. Train tickets are expensive and punishments for hitching rides are harsh. Hand operated carts can be used on rail lines because there is no central agency policing the rails.
A caravan travels clockwise through the region from Oshkosh to Milwaukee to Madison and back to Oshkosh. Each leg takes roughly one week.
5. Culture
Culture has retained some of it's primitive joys from the heyday of Wisconsin. Abandoned bowling alleys have been stripped of their machinery by Tinkers and a few enterprising men have turned them into turn of the century bowling alleys where each pin is re-set by hand.
Wrestling has seen a boom as well. Wisconsin hero the Crusher has become the idol for a ring of wrestling fanatics known as the Bolo Brigade. Some consider them a gang by their unflinching ability to attack innocents who disrespect them, but their small numbers keep them out of classification. These wrestling matches aren't exactly legal because of their excessive violence and promotion of gambling.
5.1 Arts
The arts aren't as celebrated and encouraged as they once were. Finding supplies can be a task and has no real point besides that of personal artistic release. The fine arts such as painting are almost non-existent, but there are still sculptures being built out of scraps and old machines found throughout the world. Tinkers are usually the artists and have been known to build everything from statues to instruments.
“Junkyard Bands” are becoming more and more prevalent. Instruments found or forged from junk are considered “Junkyard” instruments.
5.2 Cuisine
Any kind of animal, whether bird, mammal, or fish, is considered a viable food source. Chickens and rabbits are commonly kept as staple foods. Asian carp are plentiful, though it tastes very bad and there are questions about the health effects of eating fish from contaminated waters. Otherwise, decades old canned foods from before the collapse are the staples of the society's diet.
Much of the population's diet is built around potatoes. Potatoes are one of the few crops that can be grown on a very small plot of land while still yielding enough food to be worthwhile. This makes them nearly ideal for farming in former (or current) urban areas with little arable land available. They also keep well, for a surprisingly long time, without any special efforts at preservation.
Wild pigs are a common target for those inclined to hunt for extra meat. They were already classified as an invasive nuisance species by the DNR before the Crash, with Wisconsin residents allowed to shoot them on sight. Given their omnivorous diet, year-round reproduction, and lack of natural predators, their numbers have grown in proportion with the decline in the human population.
Wisconsin's deer population has also proliferated greatly. Their range of habitat has greatly increased with the decline in the human population, and for many years humans did not hunt them in large numbers. Their natural predators (wolves, etc.) are increasing in numbers, and they have reached the upper limit of their range of expansion, but for the time being, enterprising humans can supplement their diet with venison fairly easily.
Various delicacies from pre-apocalyptic days are rare but available, especially liquors and wines. These are mostly hoarded in the urban centers of Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay but can be bought for a steep price. Moonshine, beer making, and other alcohol manufacturing is common throughout the region.
5.3 Religion
5.3.1 General Notes
Religion has survived the apocalypse; while some lost their faith as civilization collapsed, many more sought spiritual comfort during these dark times. The population is mostly Christian. Among Christians, Roman Catholics are a slight majority (52%); various Protestant denominations are the next largest group (46%); and other types of Christianity (including Orthodox, Mormon, and unaffiliated Christians) make up the remaining 2%. Besides Christianity, small minorities continue to observe Judaism, Islam, Sikhism, and Hinduism. Approximately 14% of the populace is agnostic, atheist, or has no formal religious affiliation. [these are demographic stats from last census - assumed they'd stay consistent] Religious reaction to the apocalypse has been varied. Some churches viewed the apocalypse as divine judgement and looked about for specific sins - or specific groups of sinners - to blame for God's wrath. Some devoted themselves to charity in an attempt to mitigate the worst effects of the disaster and maintain basic standards of human decency. A few became the glue that held society together in their own little region. While most religious groups have maintained their traditional beliefs, some have adopted new doctrines, ranging from the unusual to the downright frightening.
5.3.2 Millennialists
A broad term for Christians who believe they are living in the world predicted by the biblical Book of Revelations. Exact doctrines vary slightly but most believe that the present world represents the Tribulation as God purges mankind in preparation for the Second Coming.
5.3.3 The Brothers of the Good Shepherd
A modern revival of Roman Catholic monasticism devoted to charitable works and protection of its flock.
5.3.4 God's Fist
A religious/luddite/martial arts movement, known as the Church of Kung Fu to the irreverent.
5.3.5 The Red Church (a.k.a. the Church of Jesus Christ, Cannibal)
This aberrant sect grew out of the darkest days of society's fall. Some survivors, faced with a choice between cannibalism and starvation, gave religious trappings to dire necessity in an effort to assuage their guilt and show respect for the dead. Over time ceremonial cannibalism became part of regular religious observances, and was carried on long after it was no longer a necessity. In its modern incarnation, the sect takes a very literal view of Communion, which is only valid if human flesh and blood are actually consumed. With death rates stabilized, the church is often forced to resort to kidnapping and murder to perform the "sacrament". Illegal and universally despised, the sect is underground and extremely secretive; exposed members can expect to face a lynch mob. The Red Church may have been effectively exterminated, and may even have been an urban myth to begin with; but its name is mentioned - in tense whispers - any time there's a mysterious disappearance.
Note that the names above are those used by outsiders; what name, if any, members use for their own church is unknown.
5.3.6 The Fonzites
A local religion that appeared since the apocalypse, Fonzism conflates the legends of King Arthur with old-world sitcoms and a bit of local history. Specifically, Fonzites believe that Arthur Fonzarelli is not dead but only resting, waiting to return and aid mankind in its hour of greatest need. On six dates annually, known as "Happy Days", devotees gather at the Bronze Fonz statue on the downtown Riverwalk and conduct a formal prayer ceremony. The "prayeramundo", as devotees call it, implores the Fonz to return to earth, strike it with his fist, and set all the old machinery working once more. The ceremony ends with the entire congregation chanting, "Aayyyy!" The senior Fonzite cleric, called the Potsie, is elected annually by the congregation from among the most devout members. Fonzite clergy show a preference for leather clothing, and all believers seem to revere motorcycles. While sneered at by more traditional churches, the Fonzites are a small but active religion, very supportive of any effort to restore the old world's technology.
5.3.7 The Dreamers
More of a spiritual movement than a formally organized religion, the Dreamers share an inspired vision of a new world. See entry 3.3.5 under Factions.
5.3.8 The Lombardians
Lombardians are a religious movement originating after the apocalypse and confined to the Green Bay area. They revere the Green Bay Packers as mighty warriors of old, and long-ago coach Vince Lombardi as a prophet, saint, or messianic figure. Lombardians are an insular group, and little of their doctrines beyond these basics is known to outsiders. See entry 3.3.10 under Factions.
5.4 Education
Education is somewhat scattered. In families or groups, the education of younger people is done by an adult or older child. The type of education varies with each type of group. In the Christian sects, education relies heavily on the Bible and its contents. Any traditional education from before the apocalypse is typically not relevant in these groups. In the groups that are struggling for survival, the educations the children receive are geared towards sustaining the group and teaching the children in case of tragedy. The children learn how to hunt and scavenge.
In settled or semi-settled areas, people with useful skills - especially in medicine and crafts - make an effort to pass them along to the next generation. This is often a matter of parents training their children in what amounts to the family business, but many trainers are willing to teach students who are not their relatives, either for a fee or in exchange for their labor. Slowly but steadily, a sort of informal apprenticeship system has developed around many crafts.
In the more elite and scientific group, education is related to steam power and developing this technology. Students take on more of an intern role and their ideas contribute to creating a more utilitarian version of steam power.
5.5 Healthcare
5.5.1 Holistic/Naturopathy
Diminishing medical supplies, as well as a lack of available doctors, has led the surviving humans to return to a hands-on approach to health. Without the distraction of television and other focus draining technologies, many humans have regained their spiritual connection and are able to draw upon the healing aspects of nature in various ways, be it through aura (chi) healing or herbal remedy. People with these abilities are most commonly from families that have survived in the wild for multiple generations. The Dreamers are known to be the greatest among the natural healers.
5.6 People
5.6.1 Race Relations
Because of the diminished population and need for survival, the lines that had separated race have blurred. There are still archaic feelings of “us” and “them”, but it is usually in relation to food-related competition. The people that have banded together have done so because of necessity and survival. The groups that are still together do not appear to notice the race or ethnicity of any of their members; however lines dividing factions can be very deep and much resentment can exist between group members and individuals.
5.6.2 Gender Roles
Gender roles have changed a little, but women are still considered to be the mothers and nurturers. It is more equal than before the apocalypse because of the drastic population crash; humanity simply could not afford to waste or curtail the abilities of any survivor. Everyone has had to do their part for survival. Women are more likely now to be in charge of the group or family overall, or attain high status in any field of endeavor. They are usually in charge of keeping the family units together, and they delegate their responsibilities to others.
5.6.3 Sexual Orientation
The attitudes towards sexual orientation for the layperson are not relevant. Most people do not really care what people do as long as they help in the survival of everybody. However, some of the religious groups still ostracize non-hetero people, and this attitude does reach some people.
6 Technology
6.1 The Internet
The Internet that exists 60 years after the apocalypse is very different than what it was, as service is spotty and unreliable even in the most favorable conditions. Many theories exist as to why this is, including thoughts that the satellites which were so crucial to internet infrastructure have fallen out of orbit, which means that the internet depends entirely on ground-based infrastructure (fiber optic cables). Naturally occurring earthquakes could have severely damaged these cables and, with the absence of satellites, have caused the internet to become fragmented based on tectonic plates. At any rate, the Internet is mainly a means by which the various enclaves of technology (universities, research facilities, military bases, etc.) communicate with one another. The importance of this global archipelago of high technology in the maintenance of human knowledge cannot be understated.
Table of Contents
1. History
1.1 Apocalypse
In 2013, small groups of 'hacktivists', emboldened by their recent successes in taking down government and corporate websites, started taking their attacks to the next level in order to lash out at what they viewed as corrupt practices by the US government. Instead of attacking websites, which could be brought back online with minimal worry, the hackers took advantage of the increasingly networked nature of America's infrastructure to wreak real havoc. In the space of several weeks, power plants were disrupted and water treatment centers were knocked offline. Even traffic lights were sporadically shut down, leading to a record number of traffic accidents. None of these disruptions were permanent, because the hackers' objective was not to significantly decrease quality of life. Rather, their goal was to draw attention to their cause in a way that taking down an obscure website or message board never could.What the hackers couldn't predict was the door they would open to those who sought to do legitimate harm to America. While the government had their full attention on safeguarding the domestic infrastructure and finding the basement-dwellers responsible for the attacks, an unknown number of terrorists set off far deadlier attacks of their own. Monday, May 6, 2013 started like any other Monday. Then, an explosion in Times Square; a canister giving off some sort of gas. A low flying plane dropping powder over downtown Dallas. People dropping dead after having a glass of water in Seattle. It's likely a combination of different biological agents was responsible, as a range of symptoms too broad for any one substance was reported.
Lines of communication sputtered and died, and it's widely suspected that the federal government was responsible for the suppression of information and dissemination of misinformation during the height of the crisis. Rumors swirled about who perpetuated the apocalypse, a list that included the usual suspects--the Red Chinese, militant fundamentalist groups, and even a paranoid fringe of American separatists--but no one knows for sure how things fell apart so completely and so fast.
1.2 Post-apocalypse history (60 yrs)
As infrastructure collapsed, the supply lines delivering vital supplies (food, medicine, power) went down permanently. The over reliance on "just-in-time" shipping meant that very few places had stockpiled much of anything. The sudden resource scarcity provoked violence on a level not seen in centuries. By the end of the first week, grocery stores, warehouses, and shopping centers were more likely to be filled with bodies than goods. The government did everything in its power to curb the violence. Martial law was followed by the deployment of the National Guard in every major American city. In the midst of all the fighting, neighborhoods banded together for collective security and piled useless cars into barricades and checkpoints. This process continued to the point where these collective security agreements more closely resembled feudal manors than metropolitan neighborhoods.A few enclaves persisted as bastions of civilization. Springing up wherever sources of wind or solar energy were readily available and defensible, these areas - usually former universities and research centers - began to resemble the monastaries of the Dark Ages. Now, roughly sixty years after the fall of civilization, there has been a flowering of invention using the refuse of the world gone by. Rather than using petroleum and electricity, inventors use steam, springs, and gears to create new devices to make their lives easier. In urban areas, generators are still capable of producing electrical energy to power the digital machines of old.
2. Geography
The known world encompasses most of southern and eastern Wisconsin, a triangular section from Green Bay south to the state's old border and west to Madison that encompasses both Milwaukee and the cities of the Fox River Valley. Large areas of Lake Michigan are the domain of Sullivan’s Fleet and they facilitate limited trade across the lake with Michigan.
2.1 Population
It's estimated that a few hundred thousand people live in the region. About 40% of these people live in and around the old Milwaukee, 20% in the former Fox Valley region, 15% in Madison, and 10% in Green Bay. The remaining 15% reside in Sullivan’s fleet, small rural communities, and nomadic scavenger/trader groups.2.1.1 Milwaukee
Most populous city, approximately 40% of total population. Following the fall, Walter Crawley retreated to Milwaukee to establish his regime. (Section 3) The Brothers of the Good Shepherd (3.3.2) have a strong influence within the city that is unhappily tolerated byCrawley’s government.
2.1.2 Fox Valley
Approx. 20% total population. The Dreamers are building their new steam powered utopia and farm the surrounding lands.2.1.3 Madison
Approx. 15% total population. Many people have been able to return to downtown areas of Madison because of better water quality and distilling techniques. A large area around the city is still populated for farming and considered part of the city. Scientists at the University struggle to maintain electric power for research that will improve the quality of life for residents.2.1.4 Green Bay
2.1.5. Rural and Maritime Areas
2.2 Geographic area
2.2.1 Landscape
Temperate forests are giving way to scrub lands in the hilly landscape. Vast tracts of once prosperous farming land is now abandoned and steadily being reclaimed by nature. Following the attacks many species of trees began to sicken and die. Old growth forests have nearly all died and dried out by now, becoming a huge fire risk where the wood has not been collected by nearby populations. New growth trees are small, sickly and rare to see, while coarse, scrubby bushes are becoming the main vegetation.2.2.2 Urban
During the attacks, most city dwellers fled to the suburbs, small towns and rural areas of the state. As the world calmed and new systems of order are beginning to re-emerge people are moving back into the periphery of large cities, but still generally stay out of downtown areas. Most structures remain standing, but are in various stages of deterioration.2.2.2.1 Milwaukee
Downtown areas of Milwaukee are sparsely populated because of a lack of drinking water. Neighborhoods divisions are stark and competition for resources fierce. Crawley’s Council and central government are based here, giving a generally bleak and militaristic tone to the city. UWM facilities - like Curtin Hall and Sandburg Castle - are bastions of science and technology and the groups controlling them are constantly in conflict. The UWM School of Freshwater Science once promised an answer to the contamination in Lake Michigan, but has since fallen into oppressive government hands.2.2.2.2 Madison
Madison was one of the first areas to recover following the apocalypse and Crawley’s move to Milwaukee. The University has held on to much of the scientific knowledge from before the fall, and continues to have access to the internet when they have sufficient power. The lakes surrounding Madison have low levels of contamination, but basic evaporators and other technologies provide safe drinking water even in downtown areas. A wide area surrounding the city is used for farming and limited wind power.2.2.2.3 Fox Valley
Centered on Lake Winnebago and including the river valleys around. The Fertile area has attracted the Dreamers (3.3.5) in their quest to realize steam power. As more people migrate in, a new city is being built that ties into the new technologies and worldview those pioneers are creating.2.2.2.4 Racine County
The attacks and mass panics of 2013 reduced most of the city of Racine to rubble. Today the ruins are home to a few desperate scavengers and small, stone-age equivalent tribes locked into a constant state of war with each other. Some try to escape this life by becoming mercenaries or muscle for anyone willing to let them migrate. Most tribes will allow safe passage in exchange for goods they can't produce themselves; anyone forced to travel through this area would be well advised to carry a supply of gaudy trinkets. All tribes are eager to acquire modern weapons, but they have little to trade for them except slaves, either from among their own members or captured from rival tribes. Unscrupulous merchants will sometimes exchange a few steel blades or crude firearms for a source of cheap labor.Union Grove, a semi-rural village on the outskirts of the county, fared better due to its relative isolation. However, isolation has its drawbacks. Today the village is inhabited by crazed, inbred cannibal groups, rumored to include the Red Church (5.3.5)
2.2.2.5 Other
Chicago is a barren wasteland. It was targeted heavily and early in the attacks, leaving few survivors. The ruins have been scoured for years, and little remains. The few foolish enough to venture here frequently uncover and accidentally detonate canisters of nerve gas that pollute large areas of the city for years at a time. Occasional rumors drift north of weird, semi-human creatures and horrific animals never before seen shambling out of the Chicago area, but none of them has ever been definitively confirmed.2.2.3 Rural
Small towns have all but died out but a few solitary homesteads and collectives dot the landscape. Roads are becoming overgrown and increasingly impassable. This is the domain of a few nomadic groups and the Defenders of the Apocalypse (3.3.3)
Small buildings and houses lie all around the less inhabited parts of Wisconsin, many becoming over grown and uninhabitable.
2.2.4 Water
Lake Michigan was targeted and contaminated in the attacks and remains unsuitable to use for drinking and irrigation without an intensive and expensive purification process. Smaller, inland sources of water, particularly running water remain the safest and most desirable options. As rivers near city centers, the level of contamination increases because of failing sewer systems and runoff from industrial areas.
The lake itself is controlled by The Sullivan’s Fleet and few crafts can operate on open water without their approval or retribution. Small scale fishing is still practiced along the coast, but there is much debate as to whether or not the fish are safe to eat and many species are dying off. For reasons nobody has been able to explain, sturgeon has thrived in the new conditions and they growing to record sizes. Reports of sturgeon over 20 feet long are not uncommon, and even larger examples are becoming the new age sea monsters.
2.3 Climate
The climate of the new world is moderately temperate in the Wisconsin area. Global warming has stagnated because the use of fossil fuels has drastically decreased since the cord has been cut. Many areas of the land could be used up though, given preservation of the environment is lowered. Four seasons still occur, but summer and winter can both be their own level of extreme. Summer faces record highs much of the time, but winter is often unpredictable. With central heating a thing of the past, most Wisconsinites dread the onset of winter.The growing season can be hard with clean water always being a priority.
2.3.1 Spring
Spring marks the beginning of the growing season for communities organized enough to have an agricultural system. However the beginning can be very difficult to determine given the unpredictability of winter. Sometimes many risk planting early, and this can cause food shortage and famine if all of their seeds are wasted in this gamble. Conversely, those who play it safe and plant later risk their crops not maturing soon enough before fall frosts, also causing shortages and famine. Those communities who are very intuitive with nature tend to have the greatest success and survival.
2.3.2 Summer
Summer is a hard time. Drought is common, and water can be scarce because of it. This can be hard on agricultural endeavors, but also on the people. What little wild animal herds there are, are known to move on if droughts in the area become too bad.
Towards the end of the season, if any droughts occurred, this is when they start to subside. Rainfall becomes common, but flash flooding is a real danger.
3. Governance
The city of Milwaukee is mostly controlled by Walter Crawley, elected governor of the state just before the cord severed, has turned democracy into a fascist dictatorship. As the world fell apart he used his executive powers to retreat to Milwaukee where he set up his stronghold. He controls all shipments, most supplies, and most of the protection. He is known to send out groups of his henchmen, known as Waltzers, to insure that his laws are being followed. Communities in the city who think about going it on their own without his “leadership” are harassed until they reconsider. Due to their high standing in the society, Waltzers obey without question and have been known to dispatch anyone who they deem might be a problem.Many have spread the word that Crawley, who be nearing his 100th birthday, has been dead for years with those in power, known as the Council, using his name and image to continue their tyrannical rule. Crawley's two sons, both in their 70s, essentially run the regime, the acting leaders who carry out their father's supposed wishes. Those living around the headquarters of the Council are ardent Crawley supporters but his support throughout the city is spotty at best. Street violence is rampant, especially after sundown.
Crawley hoards supplies, resources, and energy in order to remain in power.
3.1 Political system
The defunct state of Wisconsin has descended into a handful of city-states that are ruled by mayors, or sheriffs, some of which are run democratically and others by tyrants. The rule of law varies from location to location, but it is generally accepted that the country between city-states is lawless.3.2 Law and order
While no central law enforcement agency exists, different factions control either a resource or a skill set, some policing their own areas, and some relying on more powerful groups to take care of their constituents. Safety, well-being, and health are dependent on care by local leaders.3.3 Factions
3.3.1 God's Fist
One part church, two parts dojo, the Righteous Fist of the Lord (their own name for themselves) combines a militant Protestant doctrine with a strong mistrust of technology as the source of humanity's ruin. Members train intensively in martial arts to avoid any reliance on technology. Once sufficiently trained, they are encouraged to go forth, do good, and protect the weak. The Fist is loosely organized and decentralized. Outside training facilities and regular religious observances, the church exerts little or no control over its members. Fists take an oath to do right, aid one another, and fight only in a just cause, but interpretation of the oath in the field is largely left to individual discretion, though blatant misdeeds will result in expulsion. Celibacy is not a requirement for Fists, and members have something of a reputation as would-be pickup artists.Fists: Freelance martial artist do-gooders. Most are nomadic, but some will commit to a cause in the longer term.
Trainers: Trained members unable or unwilling to travel, usually due to age or family commitments, serve as the order's training staff. They also defend the order's churches as necessary.
Ministers: The order's religious leaders and spiritual guides. A few have martial arts training, but the majority are only trained in religious matters, and are far more comfortable preaching than in combat.
3.3.2 The Brothers of the Good Shepherd
In times of crisis, people often turn toward faith. As the modern world began to collapse, it was only natural for people to seek solace in church. Milwaukee, having had in the past a fairly large Catholic population, has a few old monastic buildings here and there, well suited to feeding and housing large groups of people. At one of these old monasteries, a priest and Franciscan brother began to organize his parish, finding and growing food as well as producing the other necessities of life. At the same time, many in the wake of the apocalypse were called to the lord's service. That Franciscan priest became the first Lord Abbot of the Brothers, and those with the call became the first brothers. Now, believing themselves charged with a divine mission to protect the weak, the brothers have gathered about themselves a community of people. The monks care for and protect their flock from the dangers of the new fallen world, and in return are tithed a portion, either in goods, food or work.The monks have organized themselves into three categories:
Brothers Militant: The elite soldiers of the Monastery, they spend their time in training, guarding, and fighting. They believe their purpose is holy, the protection of the faithful, and are fanatical in their duty.
Brothers Ordinary: Simple monks, often skilled in healing and agriculture
Lay Brothers: Catholic men of the community who have not yet taken their vows or do not plan to. They act as an addition to the strength of the other brothers, either as simple labor, or as a militia in times of need.
3.3.3 The Defenders of the Apocalypse
Not everyone thought that the end of the world was so bad. The ability of survivors to start anew with a clean slate proved to be an exciting prospect for those who, prior to the destruction of American civilization, had little to lose. The Defenders of the Apocalypse (DotA) seek to prevent all efforts to rebuild the old world which they view as existentially oppressive. While they tend to gather in the countryside (outside West Bend they have housing, a mill and their own farms), DotA members are occasionally spotted scavenging the ruins of the metropolis. Not a lot is known about the structure of DotA, but initial reports seem to indicate that they are very decentralized and live in a communal manner.Some members of DotA are not simply content to live a communal lifestyle and raids on caravans or others in the hinterlands occur sporadically.
3.3.4 The Sullivan's Fleet
In the time before the collapse, the Denis Sullivan was Wisconsin's Flagship. It is a huge wooden sailing vessel, based on the design of ships from when sail ruled the waves. It was a fun tourist attraction, and took school groups and families sailing on the Lakes, educating and amusing.As society began to fall apart, the crew realized they were safer on the water, with miles of empty space around them. They gathered supplies, friends, and family aboard, and went and sat out on the water, hoping the world would settle down and return to normal. When that didn't happen, they began to seek a way to live in the new, fallen world. The boat was a safe haven, and they did not want to abandon it. They began to sail in towards shore, sending scavenging parties to collect supplies and bring them back. As they met other groups of survivors, they began to either trade, or raid, for the things they needed as well. Smaller boats, the pleasure craft and other sailing vessels of the lake, were either found and repaired, or taken by force, so that now there is a small fleet out on the lake, ruled by the captain of the Sullivan. The fleet has a hidden base on land somewhere, no one is quite sure where, as they move about almost exclusively by water, sending people ashore where ever the water touches land. When they come to trade, they announce themselves with gifts and good cheer. When they come to raid, they appear suddenly out of the waves, and return just as quickly.
Merchants: The cheerful, amiable face of the fleet. They frequently set up small fairs where they land on shore, and treat customers as guests, often giving gifts of good will to those looking to trade. The merchants of the fleet also serve as its diplomats. These people have made a lifestyle out of trading, however, and there are no sharper dealers around.
Marines: When the fleet decides it is going to take what it wants rather than buy it, it sends its marines. Equally at home on sea or land, these are the fist of the fleet. They specialize in surprise and ambush, and will often retreat from a fair fight back to the water.
Sailors: The majority of the people of the fleet are simple sailors. Regular people, living each on a boat or ship whose captain's word is law. These boats, particularly the smaller ones are often organized along family lines,
3.3.5 The Dreamers
Following the apocalypse was a shift in philosophy among a certain few individuals, who would become collectively known as the Dreamer called so for their shared dream for the future generations of mankind. The Dreamers come from a wide array of races and backgrounds and have congregated in the Fox Valley region. Through the help of a couple generations of breeding and aggressive proselytization, the ranks of the Dreamers have swelled over time.Their dream is a future with minimal electricity, where small personal items are powered by "clean steam." They are anti-industrialization though it is not technology that they are against, but the waste and disaster which the greed of technology breeds. Their goal is to share affordable non-electric technology with those who share a like mind. Dreamers are considered a dangerous cult by the followers of Crawley, who fear adoption of non-electrical technologies will weaken their hold on the regional economy. Though the Council denies any involvement, several prominent Dreams who have promoted a "steam revolution" have had bounties put on their heads.
Some factions unconnected with Crawley also view the Dreamers with some degree of mistrust. To some outsiders, their dreams seems preposterous; their separatism and zeal in the hoarding and disassembling of old technology wins them few friends, as many urban dwellers in Madison and Milwaukee struggle to find working electrical equipment. Even for those uninterested in politics, Dreamers often come across as pushy and annoying as they try to recruit new members to their cause.
3.3.6 The Fighting Phils (TFP)
The Fighting Phils are the leading insurgents in the fight against Crawley. They are a focused, passionate, and ruthless group of underground brawlers and hustlers. Inspired by the Wisconsin envisioned by former Governor Robert La Follette, the Fighting Phils consider themselves children of the original Robert and have adopted the name of his real son, Phil La Follette. They serve as the open detractors of the Crawley regime and live very harrowing lives from the inherent danger of such a thing. They have had several high-profile battles with Waltzers in broad daylight, and on more than one occasion they have orchestrated terror attacks against Crawley and the Council, content to kill innocent bystanders to get their point across. They are mostly centralized in what remains of the city, mostly in the 3rd Ward region.Many of the TFP have let the goal get away from themselves and are now not much better than the Waltzers. There are, still, some morally decent and respectable members. Though identifying members can be tricky due to the underground status, members of the TFP take contracts for assassinations, beatings, thefts or full-fledged destruction provided it in some way serves to topple the Crawley regime--even if only tangentially.
3.3.7 The Iron Legion
Neither as rigidly disciplined nor as threatening as the name would suggest, the Iron Legion is a loose coalition of craftsmen, tinkers, and inventors. Their only consistent goal is the spread of "new" technology, not built on the old world's petroleum-based economy, that will better the lot of ordinary people (this includes a lot of old techniques and devices adapted to current needs). In effect, they are spreading steampunk in small, slow gradients. The Legion's main function is to share knowledge and inventions with like-minded people able to implement them. Such cooperation is strictly voluntary and its common for members to keep especially profitable designs to themselves, although members who do this too often will find that other Legionnaires are no longer willing to help them. While not in opposition to the Dreamers (3.3.5), the Legion has little interest in visionary spiritual ideas; they are devoted to improving the world by sharing knowledge, getting inventions out to the general public, and putting their heads together for larger-scale projects. Most remain in Milwaukee or its outlying regions rather than migrating to the Fox River Valley. Legion members are far more likely to have dots in Mentor or Contacts than in Allies.3.3.8 The Lorekeeper Collective
While some groups facilitate survival and others want to rebuild the world, the Lorekeeper Collective seeks to preserve. This group of scribes, artists, archivists, and knowledge brokers strive to gather history and culture from the past to not only learn from past mistakes, but to also foster a spark of creativity and truth-seeking in people, which they believe was lost after the catastrophe. The network of the Collective spans all the way from the former campus of the Madison college to the tall tower called Curtin in Milwaukee, as well as having wandering bards and informants in Green Bay and the Fox River Valley. Although they aim to remain cordial with other factions, they have been called needlessly sentimental and unnecessary by more spartan or "practical" groups. Should one encounter a member of the Collective, things like paper and old relics and baubles deemed otherwise useless will be of great use to them, so expect to be rewarded at least twofold for your contribution, even a hastily written poem or song will yield some sort of token of appreciation. Rumor has it that they have an incredible wifi network still operational, but oftentimes lack any means to power it. In exchange for technical assistance, the Lorekeepers are protected by the soldiers of the Sandburg Castle and their fearsome leader, Janice.3.3.9 Waltzers
Waltzers are those formally contracted to work on the behalf of Walter Crawley and his Council. Waltzers can provide many functions, from administrative or custodial tasks to security or aggressive "policing" of Milwaukee.3.3.10 Lombardians
A faction based in historic Lambeau Field in Green Bay, the the Lombardians are powerful enough on their home turf to effectively defy the authority of the Waltzers. Their interests seem limited to practicing their idiosyncratic religion and defending Lambeau Field against any incursion by outsiders.3.3.11 The Optimists
More of a cult than anything else. Back before the End the Optimists were a group devised to "bring out the best in children". After the End they took on a different view point and began to brainwash children to fight for goal of purifying the new world. They live by their motto "By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in kids." Since being re-instated, the Optimists have taken over the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay as it was once a place that was supported by the Optimists. They've created a strong fortress using the trains and left over equipment from the World War II re-enactments that were once held in the area.4. Economy
Wealth is based solely on a faction's access to resources, specifically technology and drinkable water. Some groups produce their own valuable resources, some have become particularly good at stealing from others, and some trade their skills in protection, or workforce, for access to commodities. There is a massive divide between factions when it comes to economics. Some groups exhibit a gross, though shifting, level of comfort, such as the Waltzers, and some exist solely as laborers, forced to give up what they produce for protection, real and implied, or access to basic life necessities.4.1 Currency
Currency is based on markers or tokens that can be turned in for water. The price is about a pint of water for a single token. This currency is mostly used in the cities, while barter is relied upon in more rural areas. A token is a piece of aluminum or tin stamped with a seal.4.1.1 Class System
There are large differences between classes in Hellwaukee. Class is based on the amount of water you can afford at any given time.4.2 Trade
Water is the most valuable commodity in the Greater Milwaukee area, with energy production becoming its more valuable ability. Steam energy is not easily harnessed, and it takes a bevy of materials from different areas to create necessary equipment.Trade caravans have carved out routes between the population centers, mainly to carry water between the settlements and various factions.
4.2.1 Water
The Great Lake has been contaminated, and is largely used for steam. Fresh water is carted in from the outskirts of the Greater Milwaukee Area by various factions living around sources, and scavengers. It is by far the most valuable thing in the Post Apocalypse.Water is moderately dangerous to drink. By ingesting, one risks serious illness, but it is safe to wash with.
4.2.2 Energy production
4.2.2.1 Steam Power
Steam power is now harnessable, but the parts necessary are not readily available. Some are scavenged, some created from traded materials, and some stolen, but all are valuable.4.2.2.2 Wind Power
In the countryside wind power is king because windmills are easy to build, maintain and operate with a variety of materials. Windmills are used not only as a means to generate electricity, but also to pump ground water and gind flower for use in bakeries.4.2.2.3 Solar Power
Mostly limited to locations under the control of the Lorekeepers, solar power has been preserved in order to provide free energy from the sun. While a few full-sized solar panels remain, most are a collection of smaller solar panels from calculators and other small gadgets.4.2.3 Protection
Some groups have continued relying on the Waltzers for protection, in exchange for exploitative quantities of their labor force, materials, or other resources. Others have returned after stints of independence. The Waltzers is not the only group with martial prowess.Each group has found a way to protect itself, either by allying themselves with factions of equal or more power, or producing fighting power of their own. However, most alliances can be turned over easily. Every group, perhaps with the exception of the Sullivan's Fleet, must trade for supplies, but most can not both protect their productions and create enough to trade.
4.3 Economic distribution/economic classes
Those belonging to the Waltzers seem to have survived with the most power to spare. However, their martial instigation has made enemies of many of the factions in charge of important resources, especially water. A few factions have created bubbles of decadence and wealth for themselves, while others toil to scratch a living out of the resources left behind by the constant civil strife.Some faction's classes are based on the values of their group. However, the resource-producing areas strive for what people have always wanted: ease of life, and power.
4.4 Professions
Some professions are based around keeping law and order in the faction's smaller communities. Most jobs respond to the resource needs or political structure of the appropriate faction.4.4.1 Pirate
As people abandoned the metropolis some decided that, instead of fleeing to the suburbs or the countryside, they would take advantage of the abundance of abandoned boats left in the marina. These people realized that Lake Michigan could be used not only as a source of fresh water, but also had an untapped abundance of edible fish. Of course, one can't reasonably be expected to live off of water and fish alone. Raiding the settlements along the Lake proved to be quite lucrative. Pirates can sail to a settlement, loot it, and be over the horizon in a matter of hours.4.4.2 Craftsman/Smith
The breakdown of industrial society has caused a resurgence of cottage industry. Individuals with the skill to create or repair useful things are highly prized in most areas, and can enjoy something approximating a middle-class lifestyle. Many will train apprentices to insure their skills are passed on to the next generation. Among the more valuable trades: metalworkers of all types, gunsmiths/weaponsmiths, electronic/computer repair (in areas with consistent electrical power), pharmacists/herbalists, tailors/leatherworkers/shoemakers. Many crafts once considered hobbies are now very useful: needlework, weaving, knitting, candle-making, home brewing, and pottery will have practical applications.Carpentry and woodworking are skills in high demand. Tinkers (old style - persons who work in tin, primarily repairing worn-out pots and pans) can make a steady living. Plumbing expertise is important for making efficient steam-powered contraptions. Pickling, canning, and meat preservation are vital in a world without refrigeration.Skilled cooks can make a limited and repetitive diet far more palatable.4.4.3 Police/Soldier/Guard
The enforcers of law and the authority of government in a region. Depending on the nature of local government, they can be anything from near-knights sworn to "serve and protect", to simple keepers of order, to cruel and rapacious agents of oppression. Regardless, they will be fairly well-armed and knowledgeable about local law (or corporate policy, as the case may be).4.4.4 Neobarbarian
In some areas, the collapse of civilization reduced the few survivors to a state of howling savagery. Through lack of resources, communication, and/or viable government, some people have remained in this state to the present day. Most will be crudely armed but very aggressive, and recognize no law beyond the needs of their own clan or tribe. A neobarbarian brought into civilized regions (by choice or circumstance) will face social stigma and culture shock.4.4.5 Farmer
A grower of crops and/or tender of livestock. Some forms of agriculture. especially in former urban centers, will require a great deal of innovation and some degree of technical skill. A farmer's standard of living will depend on the degree of law and order that prevails. In lawless regions, farmers must be prepared to defend their own land, while in regions under oppressive regimes field laborers will fare little better than medieval serfs. In ideal circumstances, a farmer can aspire to considerable prosperity, particularly if he/she has a gift for haggling.4.4.6 Hunter/Trapper
Food remains relatively scarce, and everyone appreciates a little variety in their diet. In addition, with the textile industry a thing of the past, animal hides and furs have become trade goods again. Hunting and trapping animals is a viable career; the exact animals targeted will depend on scarcity; people are unlikely to buy rat or dog meat if venison is available. While their skill set differs, fishermen/women fill a similar career niche.4.4.7 Clergy
Preachers, spiritual advisers, and missionaries, the official faces of their religion. Some clergy will be paid a periodic stipend, while others might rely on donations from their congregation. In cases where a religious organization is closely allied with the government (or IS the government), clergy will be on the government payroll.4.4.8 Entertainer
The internet is unavailable to most. Network television is a thing of the past. Musicians, comedians, singers, dancers, and circus-style performers will find that people are willing to pay for entertainment. Professional wrestling and other athletic contests can also draw a crowd willing to pay to be spectators. Where possible, entertainers will find it profitable to be migratory; this will bring them to new audiences and preserve the apparent novelty of their acts.4.4.9 Tinker
A small group of men and women who love technology from before the Fall. They pride themselves in their working knowledge of these objects and are always on a constant journey to repair machines and objects that have long but lost a use. A separate but important group of tinkers strives to create new technology (or revive old technology long outdated) to conform to the needs of this harsh new world.4.4.10 Scavenger
Civilization is on the rebound, but, as is always the case, some people have been left behind due to location, social status, or simple bad luck. These individuals survive like human jackals picking at the bones of the old world. They will excel at urban survival and may have combat skills, but will be poorly adapted to civilized life among other humans. Some will adapt over time, often becoming criminals or salvage experts. Others, unable to make the adjustment, will remain feral for life.4.5 Transportation
Sailing is the fastest and best way to travel along the coast. All but the largest highways are nearly impassible with overgrowing vegetation. Fossil fuels, especially gasoline, are extremely scarce and cars have given way to horses. The train system is still functional between Madison, Milwaukee, and Green Bay, but trains are easily derailed and therefore do not follow regular schedules. Train tickets are expensive and punishments for hitching rides are harsh. Hand operated carts can be used on rail lines because there is no central agency policing the rails.A caravan travels clockwise through the region from Oshkosh to Milwaukee to Madison and back to Oshkosh. Each leg takes roughly one week.
5. Culture
Culture has retained some of it's primitive joys from the heyday of Wisconsin. Abandoned bowling alleys have been stripped of their machinery by Tinkers and a few enterprising men have turned them into turn of the century bowling alleys where each pin is re-set by hand.Wrestling has seen a boom as well. Wisconsin hero the Crusher has become the idol for a ring of wrestling fanatics known as the Bolo Brigade. Some consider them a gang by their unflinching ability to attack innocents who disrespect them, but their small numbers keep them out of classification. These wrestling matches aren't exactly legal because of their excessive violence and promotion of gambling.
5.1 Arts
The arts aren't as celebrated and encouraged as they once were. Finding supplies can be a task and has no real point besides that of personal artistic release. The fine arts such as painting are almost non-existent, but there are still sculptures being built out of scraps and old machines found throughout the world. Tinkers are usually the artists and have been known to build everything from statues to instruments.“Junkyard Bands” are becoming more and more prevalent. Instruments found or forged from junk are considered “Junkyard” instruments.
5.2 Cuisine
Any kind of animal, whether bird, mammal, or fish, is considered a viable food source. Chickens and rabbits are commonly kept as staple foods. Asian carp are plentiful, though it tastes very bad and there are questions about the health effects of eating fish from contaminated waters. Otherwise, decades old canned foods from before the collapse are the staples of the society's diet.Much of the population's diet is built around potatoes. Potatoes are one of the few crops that can be grown on a very small plot of land while still yielding enough food to be worthwhile. This makes them nearly ideal for farming in former (or current) urban areas with little arable land available. They also keep well, for a surprisingly long time, without any special efforts at preservation.
Wild pigs are a common target for those inclined to hunt for extra meat. They were already classified as an invasive nuisance species by the DNR before the Crash, with Wisconsin residents allowed to shoot them on sight. Given their omnivorous diet, year-round reproduction, and lack of natural predators, their numbers have grown in proportion with the decline in the human population.
Wisconsin's deer population has also proliferated greatly. Their range of habitat has greatly increased with the decline in the human population, and for many years humans did not hunt them in large numbers. Their natural predators (wolves, etc.) are increasing in numbers, and they have reached the upper limit of their range of expansion, but for the time being, enterprising humans can supplement their diet with venison fairly easily.
Various delicacies from pre-apocalyptic days are rare but available, especially liquors and wines. These are mostly hoarded in the urban centers of Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay but can be bought for a steep price. Moonshine, beer making, and other alcohol manufacturing is common throughout the region.
5.3 Religion
5.3.1 General Notes
Religion has survived the apocalypse; while some lost their faith as civilization collapsed, many more sought spiritual comfort during these dark times. The population is mostly Christian. Among Christians, Roman Catholics are a slight majority (52%); various Protestant denominations are the next largest group (46%); and other types of Christianity (including Orthodox, Mormon, and unaffiliated Christians) make up the remaining 2%. Besides Christianity, small minorities continue to observe Judaism, Islam, Sikhism, and Hinduism. Approximately 14% of the populace is agnostic, atheist, or has no formal religious affiliation. [these are demographic stats from last census - assumed they'd stay consistent] Religious reaction to the apocalypse has been varied. Some churches viewed the apocalypse as divine judgement and looked about for specific sins - or specific groups of sinners - to blame for God's wrath. Some devoted themselves to charity in an attempt to mitigate the worst effects of the disaster and maintain basic standards of human decency. A few became the glue that held society together in their own little region. While most religious groups have maintained their traditional beliefs, some have adopted new doctrines, ranging from the unusual to the downright frightening.5.3.2 Millennialists
A broad term for Christians who believe they are living in the world predicted by the biblical Book of Revelations. Exact doctrines vary slightly but most believe that the present world represents the Tribulation as God purges mankind in preparation for the Second Coming.5.3.3 The Brothers of the Good Shepherd
A modern revival of Roman Catholic monasticism devoted to charitable works and protection of its flock.5.3.4 God's Fist
A religious/luddite/martial arts movement, known as the Church of Kung Fu to the irreverent.5.3.5 The Red Church (a.k.a. the Church of Jesus Christ, Cannibal)
This aberrant sect grew out of the darkest days of society's fall. Some survivors, faced with a choice between cannibalism and starvation, gave religious trappings to dire necessity in an effort to assuage their guilt and show respect for the dead. Over time ceremonial cannibalism became part of regular religious observances, and was carried on long after it was no longer a necessity. In its modern incarnation, the sect takes a very literal view of Communion, which is only valid if human flesh and blood are actually consumed. With death rates stabilized, the church is often forced to resort to kidnapping and murder to perform the "sacrament". Illegal and universally despised, the sect is underground and extremely secretive; exposed members can expect to face a lynch mob. The Red Church may have been effectively exterminated, and may even have been an urban myth to begin with; but its name is mentioned - in tense whispers - any time there's a mysterious disappearance.Note that the names above are those used by outsiders; what name, if any, members use for their own church is unknown.
5.3.6 The Fonzites
A local religion that appeared since the apocalypse, Fonzism conflates the legends of King Arthur with old-world sitcoms and a bit of local history. Specifically, Fonzites believe that Arthur Fonzarelli is not dead but only resting, waiting to return and aid mankind in its hour of greatest need. On six dates annually, known as "Happy Days", devotees gather at the Bronze Fonz statue on the downtown Riverwalk and conduct a formal prayer ceremony. The "prayeramundo", as devotees call it, implores the Fonz to return to earth, strike it with his fist, and set all the old machinery working once more. The ceremony ends with the entire congregation chanting, "Aayyyy!" The senior Fonzite cleric, called the Potsie, is elected annually by the congregation from among the most devout members. Fonzite clergy show a preference for leather clothing, and all believers seem to revere motorcycles. While sneered at by more traditional churches, the Fonzites are a small but active religion, very supportive of any effort to restore the old world's technology.5.3.7 The Dreamers
More of a spiritual movement than a formally organized religion, the Dreamers share an inspired vision of a new world. See entry 3.3.5 under Factions.5.3.8 The Lombardians
Lombardians are a religious movement originating after the apocalypse and confined to the Green Bay area. They revere the Green Bay Packers as mighty warriors of old, and long-ago coach Vince Lombardi as a prophet, saint, or messianic figure. Lombardians are an insular group, and little of their doctrines beyond these basics is known to outsiders. See entry 3.3.10 under Factions.5.4 Education
Education is somewhat scattered. In families or groups, the education of younger people is done by an adult or older child. The type of education varies with each type of group. In the Christian sects, education relies heavily on the Bible and its contents. Any traditional education from before the apocalypse is typically not relevant in these groups. In the groups that are struggling for survival, the educations the children receive are geared towards sustaining the group and teaching the children in case of tragedy. The children learn how to hunt and scavenge.
In settled or semi-settled areas, people with useful skills - especially in medicine and crafts - make an effort to pass them along to the next generation. This is often a matter of parents training their children in what amounts to the family business, but many trainers are willing to teach students who are not their relatives, either for a fee or in exchange for their labor. Slowly but steadily, a sort of informal apprenticeship system has developed around many crafts.
In the more elite and scientific group, education is related to steam power and developing this technology. Students take on more of an intern role and their ideas contribute to creating a more utilitarian version of steam power.
5.5 Healthcare
5.5.1 Holistic/Naturopathy
Diminishing medical supplies, as well as a lack of available doctors, has led the surviving humans to return to a hands-on approach to health. Without the distraction of television and other focus draining technologies, many humans have regained their spiritual connection and are able to draw upon the healing aspects of nature in various ways, be it through aura (chi) healing or herbal remedy. People with these abilities are most commonly from families that have survived in the wild for multiple generations. The Dreamers are known to be the greatest among the natural healers.5.6 People
5.6.1 Race Relations
Because of the diminished population and need for survival, the lines that had separated race have blurred. There are still archaic feelings of “us” and “them”, but it is usually in relation to food-related competition. The people that have banded together have done so because of necessity and survival. The groups that are still together do not appear to notice the race or ethnicity of any of their members; however lines dividing factions can be very deep and much resentment can exist between group members and individuals.5.6.2 Gender Roles
Gender roles have changed a little, but women are still considered to be the mothers and nurturers. It is more equal than before the apocalypse because of the drastic population crash; humanity simply could not afford to waste or curtail the abilities of any survivor. Everyone has had to do their part for survival. Women are more likely now to be in charge of the group or family overall, or attain high status in any field of endeavor. They are usually in charge of keeping the family units together, and they delegate their responsibilities to others.
5.6.3 Sexual Orientation
The attitudes towards sexual orientation for the layperson are not relevant. Most people do not really care what people do as long as they help in the survival of everybody. However, some of the religious groups still ostracize non-hetero people, and this attitude does reach some people.6 Technology
6.1 The Internet
The Internet that exists 60 years after the apocalypse is very different than what it was, as service is spotty and unreliable even in the most favorable conditions. Many theories exist as to why this is, including thoughts that the satellites which were so crucial to internet infrastructure have fallen out of orbit, which means that the internet depends entirely on ground-based infrastructure (fiber optic cables). Naturally occurring earthquakes could have severely damaged these cables and, with the absence of satellites, have caused the internet to become fragmented based on tectonic plates. At any rate, the Internet is mainly a means by which the various enclaves of technology (universities, research facilities, military bases, etc.) communicate with one another. The importance of this global archipelago of high technology in the maintenance of human knowledge cannot be understated.